Another 200 workers to move into historic Bell Labs building

HOLMDEL -- Another company has secured a lease at the historic Bell Laboratories site in Holmdel, adding another 200 employees to a hub that will soon be teeming with tech workers.

For nearly 50 years, Bell Labs was home to some of the most innovative minds in technology, churning out seven Nobel Prize winners. Engineers and scientists conducted experiments in the 2 million-square-foot building that would go on to change people's lives, from exploring radio astronomy and lasers, to push-button dialing and cell phones.

Ralph Zucker, president of Holmdel-based Somerset Development Corp., purchased the long-vacant building in 2013 for $27 million with an eye on reimagining the hulking structure with mirrored windows as a different kind of hub -- a "metroburb" filled with new dining, retail, healthcare and residences.

WorkWave, a provider of cloud-based software solutions, fits the mold of what Bell Labs, now named Bell Works, wants to be, Zucker said.

"WorkWave was one of the first companies to recognize and share in our vision to create a dynamic, downtown-style vibe in this suburban location, and that vision is truly coming to fruition," Zucker said in a prepared statement announcing the new acquisition.

The tech company leased a 72,000 square-foot space with the option to expand another 72,000 square feet. The company has hired more than 100 employees in the past three years, bringing the total to 222.

WorkWave joins a growing number of tech companies leasing space in Bell Works, which is situated on Crawfords Corner Road. The largest employer, iCIMS, a human resource software company, will occupy a 350,000 square-foot space and bring nearly 1,000 jobs. It plans to move in by the end of the year.

Bell Works has about 2 million square feet of office space -- 74 percent of which has already been leased. But less than 20 percent of the building is occupied.